Jeffrey Carver - Eternity's End

Corporal Sladdak shrugged. “Right.”

Lieutenant Cassill checked her ion rifle. “I don’t see what’s so important about this woman, anyway.”

“She belongs to our sponsors, that’s what’s important about her.”

“Belongs?”

Talbott shrugged in annoyance. “Supposed to be one of their people. She got away. Defected. Whatever.”

Lieutenant Cassill looked unconvinced.

“You don’t have to understand; you just have to do it.”

“Yes, sir ,” she said stiffly.

Talbott suppressed a snarl and raised his spy-glasses again.

The two Fabri natives slipped silently through the trees, moving with urgent speed. The word had come from their village leader, backed up by the informal Fabri intelligence network. Centrist Strength agents were on the move in connection with a kidnapping, and help was requested. A homefolk friend was involved—Harriet Mahoney, who had aided the Fabri on more than one occasion. Look for a human woman with a Swert and a Gos’n. Help them help the offworlder woman, if you can . The Fabri were not exactly freedom fighters, but they weren’t afraid to step forward when necessary.

The Fabri reconnoitered carefully as they approached the house in the woods. The taller one, the leader, searched the area around the clearing. “Fffff—two parties,” he murmured softly, with a shiver of his wings.

The other set down a ventilated leather case and joined the first in peering. “Those three, they are Strength,” he murmured, focusing on three humans about a third of a circle around the house to the right. “They are known to us.”

“And over there?” murmured the leader.

The second Fabri shifted his gaze to the left of the clearing. “Ah—the two aliens and the woman. They are Mrs. Mahoney’s people. They are here for the missing one.”

“Shall we make contact, then?”

Georgio was the first to see them. He muttered something guttural, and Morgan turned her head and nearly jumped out of her skin at the sight of two approaching Fabri natives, clad in white. How did they move so silently? She placed a hand on Georgio’s tentacle-arm, the one with the weapon. “They’ve come to talk,” she said quietly.

Pew’s foghorn voice was surprisingly soft as he addressed the two Fabri males, “May we help you?”

One of the two fluttered his wings slightly. “That’s precisely what we intended to ask. Are you the friends of Vegas?”

Morgan’s heart raced. “She works for my mother.”

“Then you are here to attempt to free the offworlder woman?” asked the second Fabri.

“We are.”

“Then may we offer our assistance—?”

The shorter Fabri opened the leather case he was carrying and hoisted out a sinuous white animal. “This is a ferrcat,” he said softly, cradling the animal in his arms. “Its name is N’tari.” He was silent a moment, peering into the ferrcat’s eyes. There seemed to be a wordless exchange between the two. The ferrcat rolled its head from side to side, hissing softly. “She senses the woman,” the Fabri said. “Alive. And conscious. Weak, but well.”

The other Fabri unslung his weapon, a thistlegun. “Quickly, then. Before we are seen.” He bowed briefly to the others. “With your permission, I will move to another position, to offer additional protection.” Without waiting for a reply, he melted into the trees.

His companion spoke softly to the ferrcat, touching the glowing jewel hanging from its collar. Then he set the cat down. It stretched languorously for a moment, then suddenly flashed into motion, darting down through the brush in a fast zigzag, and out of the woods. It paused at the edge of the lawn, peering up into the treetops as though checking for birds; then it sauntered on toward the house.

“I have asked N’tari to find the woman and lead her to us. Now, we shall have to wait and see…” With those words, the Fabri raised his own thistlegun to the ready.

Maris woke up wondering why she was suddenly hearing voices. Or imagining voices, a soft mewling in her mind…

This way, Maris… this way to a friend…

She shivered, wondering if her captors had reactivated her implants. They’d claimed to have saved her life by turning them off; but what was to prevent them from switching them back on to keep her under their control?

But this hadn’t felt like a controlling force; it was more like a living voice. Not hostile. Friendly.

Come to the window. Come and you’ll see me…

There it was again.

Come to the window.

Like a purring in her mind. Come …

She rubbed her forehead. Well, why not? She could make it if she moved carefully. She heard Dennis clattering in the kitchen, and Lydia down the hall. If she got up slowly, now… if anyone saw her, she was just… going to the window.

Maris pushed herself to her feet, staggering a little. She caught her balance and stepped away from the chair. Dennis was clinking glassware. No sign of Lydia. Three more steps. She reached the living room window and gripped the sill.

Hello… there you are…

She peered through the curtain at an overgrown lawn, leading out to a woods. A light rain was falling.

A small face popped up on the other side of the glass. She stifled a cry. It wasn’t a human face; it was an animal. White. Like a large cat or weasel… wearing a collar with something glowing on it…

I can show you the way out.

Maris drew back, startled. Was the thing speaking in her mind? Maybe that glowing thing on its collar was doing it. The animal dropped out of sight. Maris leaned forward to peer out and down. The animal was on all fours on the ground. It was the size of a large house cat, with a bushy tail. It glanced up at her, then trotted toward the back door. To meet her?

Maris drew a breath. What was this all about? Faber Eridani was apparently full of hostiles. It would be insane to trust this animal. Wouldn’t it?

She remembered her determination to run, if she could.

The touch of the animal’s mind was reassuring. She sensed an earnestness. This way. My friends sent me. Your friends. Friends of Harriet. Friends of Legroeder. You know Legroeder?

Maris stiffened. Had she heard right? She pressed her face to the window again. The animal was standing outside the back door, staring up at it expectantly.

“What are you doing?”

Maris jerked back from the window, staggering a little. Lydia glared from the hallway.

“I’m just—”

“Well, you shouldn’t be—”

“Shouldn’t be up without help,” said Dennis, interrupting Lydia as he came in from the kitchen. “Still, can’t blame you for being curious, I suppose.”

“We’re supposed to be keeping her safe!” Lydia snarled. She pointed a finger at Maris. “Do not expose yourself like that!”

“But I was just—”

“Miss O’Hare,” said Dennis, “please stay away from the windows. We don’t know who might be out there.”

Maris allowed herself to look more confused than she felt. “But you’re keeping an eye out with all these sensors, aren’t you?” She shot a glance at the console.

Dennis opened his palms. “True. There’s no need to get all worked up.”

Lydia scowled. “Look—just be more careful, all right?” She hooked a thumb at Dennis. “Let’s talk.”

Dennis shrugged and followed Lydia out into the kitchen.

Maris’s pulse quickened. Her chance? Was she crazy?

Friend of Harriet and Legroeder—come quickly!

Her heart was pounding like a drum. What the hell was she thinking? But if this was for real…